Personal subject pronouns go before the verb:
I stayed at home.
You need another blanket.
He wants to buy a new car.
She is studying Catalan.
It barks a lot. (It is used to refer to things, animals and the weather: It is raining.)
We never eat garlic.
You read a lot.
They are good friends.
However, we place the auxiliary verb before subject pronouns in questions:
Can you help me?
Has she got the comic?
Does he write very often?
Personal object pronouns come after verbs and prepositions:
She loves me.
We sent you a letter.
We went with him.
He adores her.
I saw it with my own eyes.
They have just invited us to their wedding.
Margaret believes in you.
We don't like them.
A possessive adjective is followed by a noun:
This is my van.
Your lorry is very big.
His house is enormous.
Her face is beautiful.
Its wing is broken.
Our engagement will be announced tomorrow.
Your son is very clever.
Their work was excellent.
A possessive pronoun is not followed by a noun, that is, it stands alone:
This book is mine.
This pencil case is yours.
Mary is a relative of his.
I've found hers.
Ours need watering.
Yours are bigger than mine.
These are your notebooks and those are theirs.
Exercises:
A. Complete the following table:
| Subject pronouns: |
Object pronouns: |
Possessive adjectives: |
Possessive pronouns: |
I
—
—
—
—
—
you
— |
—
you
—
her
—
—
—
— |
—
—
his
—
—
our
—
— |
—
—
—
—
(not possible)
—
—
theirs |
B. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate personal pronouns and possessives.
1. Mum, have you seen __________ money-box? I'd like to put a couple of coins in.
2. "She met a boy yesterday, and says that she loves __________ deeply."
"__________ can't love __________ deeply! __________ only met yesterday!"
3. This is Tom, and this is __________ father.
4. "Is there anything __________ can do to help you"
"No, there isn't anything you can do to help __________."
5. That dog is almost never in __________ kennel. __________ doesn't like __________.
6. Peter and __________ family do not live in London. __________ say that __________ is too big a city for __________.
7. Can you lend __________ __________ rubber, please? I've lost mine.
8. __________ house is very small, but comfortable. We love __________.
9. __________ son is a very bad student, but __________ daughter is brilliant. We wish __________ would study harder.
10. "Please send __________ a postcard when you are on holiday?"
"Don't worry, mum and dad. We'll send __________ one."
11. __________ is raining cats and dogs, so __________ had better stay at home. We can go to the cinema tomorrow.
12. "Where shall I put this book?"
"Put __________ on the table, please."
13. "I've just bought some big ice-creams for lunch, mum."
"Put __________ in the fridge, sweetheart."
14. "Is this __________ pen, Peter?"
"No, __________ isn't __________. __________ is __________."
"Where is __________, then?"
"__________ is on the floor!"
"OK! Thank you."
15. This is a picture of __________ house. We've been living there since 1999.
16. "How do you know that your neighbours are at home?"
"Because __________ car is over there."
17. "Where is __________ sister, Paul?"
"__________ sister is at home. __________ is studying for an exam. Would you like me to tell __________ something when I get home?"
18. "John and __________ family do not live here any longer."
"Where do __________ live now?"
19. "This table has a missing leg."
"Here is __________ leg."
20. "Can __________ give __________ a glass of water, please? I'm very thirsty."
"Yes, of course."